TIME AWARDS

Nigeria's Finance Minister Okonjo-Iweala Honoured

Minister of Finance for Nigeria Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and a host of others who were last week named to the Time Magazine annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world have been honoured at a gala in New York.

The Minister was named in the “Leaders” category, which features Presidents and Prime Ministers such as Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Shinzo Abe of Japan, Xi Jinping of China, President Barack Obama, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Nerandra Modi of India and Iran’s Hassan Rouhani.

Described as the “Guardian of Nigeria’s Public Funds”, the Minister whose proflile was written by world acclaimed musician Bono was hailed for taking up “one of the toughest jobs on the planet.”

In her response, Okonjo-Iweala stated that “I am delighted and honoured to be included in this August list. I could not be happier that someone of Bono’s distinction, a lover of Africa wrote about me.

“I am grateful to God that two Nigerians were recognized this year. It is wonderful for Nigeria. I see that other Africans were also recognized. So, I think it is a measure of where our continent is heading despite all our challenges.”

The gala was organized by Time to honour those that were listed as the 100 Most Influential People in the World. It also had in attendance many other high profile personalities.

Now in its 11th year, the list recognizes the activism, innovation and achievement of the world’s most influential individuals.

As TIME has described the list in the past, “They’re scientists, they’re thinkers, they’re philosophers, they’re leaders, they’re icons, they’re artists, they’re visionaries. People who are using their ideas, their visions, their actions to transform the world and have an effect on a multitude of people.”

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Nigeria.